Van's Faves

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

1 square unsweetened chocolate -- * see note

* Use the best quality chocolate you can, it makes a difference

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in small pan or microwaveable bowl and add rolled oats; stir until all oats are coated with butter. Set aside. Beat e gg until foamy. Add sugar and beat until light. Add baking powder and flour to the egg mixture. Then mix in the oatmeal/ butter mixture. Stir in the orange ri nd.

Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Drop batter, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, about 3 inches apart on cookie sheets (these do spread as they cook). Bake 8 - 12 minu tes, watching carefully. Baking time will depend a lot on individual ovens. Onc e they start to caramelize, it goes quickly, so remove from oven when cookies a re golden. Allow to cool about 1 minute then remove from cookie sheet onto cool ing racks.

When cookies are cool: Melt chocolate square in double boner, or nuke on Low in microwave until melted, stirring frequently, making sure not to let chocolate burn. Allowing chocolate to drip off the tip of a table knife, drizzle cookies lightly with chocolate. Store in airtight tins.

Yields 4 Dozen

Nancy Jones Hula's